Shock-absorber.



E. FLENTJB.

' SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATION rmm APR. 0.100s.

Patented Sept. 29; 1908.

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.' ERNST F-LENTJE, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

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i Specification" of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2a, 1908.

mmense apriiaieos. seennaezaaaa To all whomit m concern;

Be it known that LERNs'r FLENTJE, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, county, of Middlesex and'state of Massachusetts, have invented an l mprove ment in Shock-Absorbers, ofwhich the following description, in connection Wiirl-P the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts. i

. This invention relates to shock absorbers such as are des gned to be used on autoinoi blles and similar vehicles for preventing too violentrebougid of the springs when they are compressed and for causing the body to have an easy riding movement. i

The device herein illustratedis of the dash pot type wherein the resistance offered to the recoi of the springs is afforded bya cylinder containing a liquid, such, for. instance, as

- v glycerin, within which operates a piston.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel shock absorber of this type which will cushion the action of the spring in both (iirections, but whichwill have a greater cushioning effect in opposition to the recoil of the spring thanto its compressing movement; and also to provide a dash-pot of a novel construction wherein the cushioning or retarding action of the movement of the spring will be accomplished without any sudden jerks or jars. I p r I will first describe one embodiment of my invention andthen poiht'out the novel features thereof in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan.

view of the chassisv of an automobile showing "my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 isan enlarged view show ng my improved device, partof the cylinder being broken out to better show the construction of the piston; Fig. 3 is a top planview'of the piston; Fig. 4 is a section on the line wa.'-, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on the liney y, Fig/3; Fig. 6 is a bo'ttomplan view of the piston; Fig. 7 illustrates a different form of piston from that ,shownin the other views; Fig. 8 is a section on the line (Jr-0., Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is atopplan view of apiston havinga dilferent arrange ment of ports from that illustratedin the other views; Fig. 10 is a view s1milar to Fig.

9 showing the valve for controlling the,ports' in position; Fig. l lis a section on the line b-b, Fig. 10.

"In Fig. 1 3 designates the chassis of an automobile, 4 the drivingaxle, and 5 the fr'ont axle. These parts may be of any suitable for usual construction.

My im roved shock absorber comprises the cylin er fi adapted to contain glycerin or other suitable liquid and within which operates a piston 7 which has secured thereto a piston-rod. 8. The piston-rod is connected by a universal joint connection with an arm or bracket 9 wl1ich is secured to the chassis or frame 3, and one end of the cylinder is connected by a universal joint connection with a bracket or arm 10 which is secured to one of the axles.-

I prefer to use universal joint connections between the cylinder and the brackets in order that the parts may not bind, and while it iswithin my invention to use any suitable connection of this type, yet I prefer that herein shown which comprises an eye 11 formed on the end of the piston-rod and on the end of the cylinder, which eye. has extending therethrough the Us'haped loop 12 that is connected to the bracket 9 or 10.

The-bracket 10 is arranged to be detachably secured to the axle, and for this purpose the part thereof which embraces the axle is s lit at 13 to form the clamping piece 14 whic is clamped to the main part by means of clamp ing screws 15.

The iston 7 is arranged with ports as usual 1n dash-pot construction through which the liquid within the cylinder can ass. In my invention, however, the ports an the valves controlling them are especially ar ranged so that the movement of the frame relative to the axles will be an easy cushioning movement free from jerks or jars. In the present embodiments of my invention the piston is provided with twosets of ports, the ports of-one set being larger than the other, and the set of larger ports being controlled by a valve, while the set of smaller orts are continuously open. ln 1 igs. 38 I have shown three ports in each. set, and in Figs. 9-l1 Ihave shown fourlarge ports and, two small ports. Thenumber of ports is not essential to my invention, however. In Figs. 3+8the three largest ports are designated 16 and the three smaller ports -17.

The three lar er orts .16 are controlled by a vided for limiting the upward movement of the valve or clapper 18, but 111 the embodiment shown in F igs. 3 to 6, this is provided it W1 1 be seen that when the springs of the the. Ii

automobile are compressed, the piston 7 will be forced downwardly in the cylinder and .the liquid will be forced up through both the continuously-open ports 17 and through the larger ports 16, the valve 18 lifting to permit the liquid to pass-through said ports .16.

When the'spririgs begin their recoil,- the upward movement of the piston 7 will eause the valve 18 to close the ports 16 and the piston can then move upwardly only as fast as qluid can pass through the ports 17. The va ing movement and will, therefore, be closed the instant that the piston beginsjits upward movement. As a result, the upward movement of. the piston will; be uniform and the recoil of the spring will be slow and moderate marked 17 metrically arranged and the large portsare arranged two on each side of the piston.

and without. any bouncin action. In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 Iliave shown an embodiment of my invention wherein the ports through the iston' are symmetrically arranged. In t llS embodiment there are four large ports marked 16 and two small ports The two small ports are dia- The valve 18 for closing these ports is shown in Fig. 10 as it will be arranged on top of the piston, It is a symmetrical piece provided with a central aperture30 through which the piston-rod 8 extends and with two other apertures 31 that are in line with the small ports 17. The valve is arranged to cover the lar er ports 16 as shown clearly in Fig.

Valves have a symmetrical arrangement, the

10. T e upward movement, fthis valve is limited by two ti-shaped retaining members 19 which extend through the ports 16, as shown in Fig. 11. The advantage of this construction is that since the ports and the pressure on the piston when it moves either up or down, is uniformly distributed so that the piston will not be liable to bind against the sides of the cylinder. When the piston has the arrangement of ports shown'in Figs. 36 with the constantly open ports on one side of the piston, it is possible that thepis- With this construction vs 18 has a eomparativelysmall openton might tend to twist a little during its movement.

'lhe ports 17 are preferably tapered, as shown at 25 in Figs. e and S. I find that by making them of this shape the liquid will pass through them upwardly more freely (35 than downwardly, and this is a desirable feature. I have found from practice that a shock absorber as above described will prevent all rebound or recoil when the springs of the automobile are compressed and will give an easy motion to the vehicle.

. I prefer to use a device such as shown in Fig. 2 at each corner of the vehicle body. as shown in Fig. l. The shock absorber n the rear axle may conveniently be placed within the body, in which case the bracket .l will be fastened to the inside of the side sill of the frame 3, and the bracket H) will b.- secured to the axle inside of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1. ()n the front axle l lind it convenient to place the shock absorber o-utsideof the chassis or frame, in which case the bracket 9 will be secured to .the outside of the side sill of the frame, while the bracket 10 will be secured to the front axle outside of the frame. 7

Having fully described my invention, what I'elaim as new and desire to secure by l.et ters Patent is 1. .In a shock absorber, the combination with a cylinder to contain liquid, of a piston therein, said piston having a plurahtv of large ports and a plurality of small ports. a valve situated above the piston and arranged to close the large ports while leaving the 9.1) smallports open, and a U-shaped. retaining device seemed to the valve or plate and oxtending through two of the orts for limiting the upward movement'of t levalve.

2. [n a shock absorber, the combination with a cylinder to contain liquid, of a piston therein, said. )iston having a plurahty of large ports an a plurality of small-ports, a plate situated above the piston and. arranged to close the large ports while leaving the 10.3

'small ports open, and a U-shaped rctainingdevice secured to the valve or plate and extending through two of the ports for limiting the upward movement of the valve, the piston being hollowed out on its under side to receive said retaining device.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNST l blQN'lJlC. ll'itnesscs:

LOUIS C. Snrrn, THOMAS J. llnunnoxo. 

